Syd Field/script direction?

thartley

thartley

Veteran
I've been a little confused on some things... And this will be rambling stream of consciousness sounding since I just woke up. (*apologies*) But I've read in som many places here and in classes and books that a script is there to provide a blueprint of sorts for the director/DP to develop the film from. I've got it in my head that scripts should not include things like camera angles or notes for what kind of shot is to take place where, etc...that is direction and shot design and is up to the Director and DP to decide. The writer should not presume to know what kind of shots will be needed.

And also that too much decription is usually a bad thing. Keep it to what is absolutely necessary and let the descriptive aspects of scenes be left to those who are designing/directing it.

However, in the Syd Field books I've read, the sample scripts he quotes and uses for set-ups for whatever point he's trying to make seem to break both those "rules".

I think I need a "Everyting you wanted to know about scripts, but..." class. :huh: Or maybe jsut read more stickies.... :) Not sure yet. But I wonder why there is so much scene direction and camera direction in the scripts I've looked at. Right now, I'm reading thru his Four Screenplays book.

Lastly, I want to switch my reading time over from narrative stories to sceenplay/scripts. I can find 'shooting scripts' pretty easily. Would these be a decent source to have in my head to familiarize myself with the process and flow of material, or should I be looking for something else?

Thanks, and goodmorning.... :)

Terri
 
Personally I'd keep description down to the level required to tell the story, and let someone else worry about what color the vase on the hero's table is going to be.

The problem with camera angles is really just that they're distracting when you're reading the script. It's much better to control the camera by controlling the action and how you describe it than putting explicit camera angles into the script.

As for why you see a lot of them in scripts, they're common in scripts by writer/directors and may have been added into shooting scripts, or the script you're reading may be a transcript of the movie after it's made rather than the script they used to shoot it.
 
Use Sid's book as a foundation, but then forget about it. Go to drew's scripts
online and read a ton of scripts. You will learn quickly what to do and what
not to do.

Also note, that production scripts are different than spec script in format.
go to donedealpro.com to learn more about screenwriting.
 
I have a writer friend who goes to pitch marts all the time.

He says leanier is meanier.

And if you have to there are ways of writing in a camera angle with out telling the director what to do.

But only do that if that's the only way to describe the action to the reader.
 
Syd's books are very basic. As Charli said, read it, take what's there, then forget it and move on to better. The masterwork is "Story" by McKee, the best little "everything you wanted to know" book is "How To Write A Movie In 21 Days" by Viki King.

And yes, Drew's Script-O-Rama is the place to find bazillions of movie scripts. Last time I visited it looked like they'd done some re-organization; they used to have a bunch of "transcriptions" mixed in with the real scripts; transcriptions are useless, those are usually something where someone watches the film and then writes down what happened, but in screenplay form. Of little to no value because it misses all the original beats of the real screenplay. But it looks like Drew's moved those into their own "transcription" section.
 
Yeah, I don't think I've read Syd's book so I can't really compare it directly, but 'Story' is head and shoulders above any other movie writing book I've ever read. The others have a lot of useful practical information that McKee doesn't cover, but he brings together all the important information about how to write and why.
 
Thanks everyone! I am looking at spending a week in Jersey for my day job and will be wanting something to read before bed. Will go look for McKee's Story today. :)
 
I got this tip from the "How Not To Write A Screenplay" book, and it changed my scripts for the better overnight.

It's simple: Don't tell anyone how to do their job.

That means eliminate every parenthetical direction to your actors, don't include any camera angles (unless it's a specific and essential purpose of the scene), and don't tell anyone "WE SEE" or "WE HEAR", just show it or make the sound!

So...

Code: 
SLOW TRACKING SHOT of Mary and Jane as they walk
along the darkened hallway.  CU on MARY.  MS on the 
dark shadows ahead.  WE HEAR a GURGLING GROWL
from within them.  ECU on Mary's fingers, clutched
tightly onto Jane's arm.

               MARY
       (nervously)
    What was that?
 
               JANE
        (smugly)
    It was nothing.  Probably the pipes.

               MARY
       (begins shaking)
    I don't want to go any further!

Yechhhh.... becomes....

Code: 
Mary and Jane walk along the darkened hallway.
From the dark shadows ahead, a GURGLING GROWL.
Mary clutches tightly onto Jane.

               MARY
    What was that?

               JANE
    It was nothing.  Probably the pipes.

               MARY
    I don't want to go any further!

Simpler. It reads better too. You allow the director and cinematographer to come up with the shots they think will work (and you don't distract or annoy them with your suggestions). And the actors are impressed that you trust them enough to develop the emotional responses required.

It's funny too, because now as a director when I read other people's scripts and they use all those things (camera angles, parentheticals, WE SEE, WE HEAR, etc.), I really see how annoying they are!

And to think, I used to submit scripts with all that crap in them.

Gads!!!! Positively horrid!!!!

:zombie_smiley:
 
Good advice, GraBird. But those parentheticals are going to be a hard habit to break. :)

Barry - Hadn't heard about Vicki's book. Think I'll pick that up. Thanks.

Fox
 
How Not To Write a Screenplay is a great book. I'm thirding the recommendation. But, he was pointing out the use of gratuitous parentheticals. When they're used at the right moments, they're fine.

I think I have "STORY" but I can't remember. I have so many damned books. =(
 
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